Are teachers and teachers’ unions days numbered? I think maybe they are, but perhaps not for the reasons you do. Let me explain. You see, I know that legacy costs and teachers’ unions are problematic to already challenged government budgets, that’s just a known fact, but I’d like to point you to a much bigger challenge – the future of online learning and the incredible capabilities with multi-media now available on every and all subject in the human endeavor.
Not long ago, I read an interesting research paper titled; “Quality in blended learning: Exploring the relationships between on-line and face-to-face teaching and learning,” by Paul Ginns and Robert Ellis. Its abstract states;
“Recent research has demonstrated these findings also hold for non-standard modes of delivery such as distance education using on-line strategies. However, there is currently little research about how predominately campus-based students’ experiences of the on-line part of their course are associated with their experience of the course as a whole. The present study extends previous research into the domain of blended learning, by exploring the relations between student perceptions of the e-Learning environment, approaches to study, and student grades.”
May I ask why we need a human teacher at all? For the cost of their services, the classrooms, administration, and all the rest, we could outfit every single living room of every home with a school aged child with the latest in holographic technology, and deliver information to them for their customized curriculum using an artificial intelligent algorithm and a few tests from the student to fit their minds ability to best uptake that information. We are talking total immersion using augmented and virtual reality all the while these systems become smarter as time goes on, along with the hyper-learning ability of the student.
It’s not that I am against school, human interaction or even teachers for that matter, I am clearly not. What I am saying is that in the very near future our advanced systems will be far superior in ALL Regards, to the point that it’s not even a contest, and the kids can still interact and have more free time for social activities, sports, whatever due to their increased speed of knowledge. It will save billions per year and catapult the US students to hyper excel over any other students in any other nation as they compete in the knowledge based economy.
Some would say this is good news as teachers’ unions are pricing themselves out of the market, and some believe that no one can ever replace the nurturing of a teacher, confidant, coach or mentor. Well, perhaps so, but with increased classroom sizes, 1:30 isn’t such a hot ratio and these kids are only getting 1/30th of a human teacher, so let’s be honest.
The future of total immersion online education will become common place, it makes too much sense not to. That’s what I see, and it’s coming fast. The sooner the better I say. Please consider all this and think on it.
Additional Reference:
1.) “The Ebb and Flow of Online Learning,” by Jon Pearce, Mary Ainley, and Steve Howard.
